Valencia Key Internship An Inspiring Experience

by: Kaylee Needham

This summer, I had the honor of interning for VALENCIA KEY. After completing my internship, I discovered that VALENCIA KEY is far more than just a jewelry and lifestyle brand, but it is an entity that transcends its wearers to greatness and inspires love, purpose, and possibilities in your own life. After meeting the CEO, Lia Key, during the first week of my internship, I found myself striving to do better in my own life. She shared with me the battles she has overcome (growing up homeless as well as losing her mother at a young age) while still maintaining positivity and bringing an aura of light everywhere she goes. I think the major factor that set my internship apart from others was Lia Key herself; she was one of the greatest people I have ever met. She grants her interns respect, and creative liberties, and teaches through experience. One of my favorite memories this past summer was when Lia invited me to attend an event she was speaking at in a lower-income school in Philadelphia. I came along to record some content of Lia (for the website) and was in awe of how much of an impact she was able to have on the audience – both teachers and students alike. Many wrote her letters following the event thanking her for speaking and sharing her inspiring story – they saw Lia as one of them. As someone who was once in their shoes, she held the role of proving to them that with hard work and dedication it is possible to achieve your dreams, no matter your circumstances. It was an experience I will never forget. I decided upon a retailing internship after taking Professor Schulz’s 1-credit Retail Management Seminar which increased my interest in the field. I have since learned that the world of retail is far greater than I could have ever imagined and gaining experience as an intern in retail has increased my confidence in myself and given me hands-on experience that I will take with me throughout my professional career. Throughout this internship, I was tasked with assignments and projects to complete each week at my own pace. I worked with Lia on creating digital content for her pieces to be posted on Valencia Key’s website, QVC, and the new Amazon storefront. We often bounced new ideas off of one another and had a great time doing it! As a marketing major with a minor in retailing, this was the perfect internship opportunity to get real-life, hands-on experience in marketing that I could not have found at a larger company. It truly was an honor working alongside Lia Key this summer and I encourage anyone interested in a retailing internship to check out Valencia Key next Summer!

Retail/Sales Career Mixer

On September 27th, the David F. Miller Retail Center partnered with the Sales Minor team to successfully host the Retail and Sales Career Mixer. Companies gathered for an evening reception attracting many business students interested in discussing career opportunities. The companies unable to attend the reception provided materials for students to access their information and the many positions available for business gators. Opportunities offered at this event ranged from sales to management to merchandising, finance and marketing. Among the recruiting companies attending the event were E&J Gallo, The Hershey Company, Belk, Lowe’s, Enterprise, Southwestern Advantage, Amazon, and Take2 Consulting. Students reported being excited to engage in interesting conversations with recruiters, show their skills, and find the start of their career’s journey.